Breakout
by whatchamacallme
Summary: I will not do the procedure, but I will let them escape. This I swear... A piece of fiction using S. L. Viehl's Stardoc novels.


Whatchamacallme: This story uses the time period and universe as it is found in S. L. Viehl's _Stardoc_ novels. Those books are really good by the way. I wrote this for school; it's supposed to be a first person story about doing what is right in the face of government oppisition. I really hope you guys enjoy this!

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**Breakout**

I held the small body in my gloved hands, realizing what I had done. I stroked the short layer of fur covering her body. My breath was warm and shallow against my facemask. The two fingers of one of her hands were wrapped around my fingers. This was a _child_. Not some strange alien. I killed her.

A nurse came in, breaking my shocked stupor. Hardly sending a glance my way, the nurse read from the chart he was holding, "Doctor, we have three more Orthians out there if you're done here." He lifted his gaze to my tear-filled eyes. "Are you okay, Doctor? Have you hurt yourself?" His eyes were full of concern.

What was his name? He was new; my boss had hired him only a day or so ago. "No, Tom, I'll be fine," I said, giving a small sniff as I carefully placed the small child on the table and stripped off my gloves. I threw them in a biohazard container as I made a beeline for the Senior Doctor's office.

I knocked politely on the door, "Boss? I'd like a word if you have the time." A stern, gray-haired man turned at my voice and gave me a curt nod. "Thanks," I said as I seated myself in the lone chair in front of his desk. "Sir, I request that someone else be assigned to the Orthians. I can't do it anymore."

Dr. Channel raised his eyebrows, "You were fine with it this morning, and you assured me that you would take care of the pests."

I bit my lip and sighed, "I know I did, sir, and I'm sorry to disappoint you. This morning I thought of them as pests too, but—"

He interrupted me, "But you've decided they are worth living? The nasty creatures pollute our land, kill our children, and terrorize our cities. If we do not kill them, they'll murder us. "

"Dr. Channel, you know very well that it hasn't been proven that it's the Orthians who are doing that! We don't know that it's them," I cried, my hands gripping his desk so hard it turned my knuckles white.

The doctor's black eyes blazed, "You will do as you are told, Dr. Tress Yeddie. You will do the procedure on the Orthians, or, by Hades, I'll do it myself and make you watch."

Trembling slightly, I stood and stiffly walked out his door.

_I will not do the procedure, but I will let them escape. This I swear,_ I thought as I steeled myself for what I had to do.

Tom came up behind me when I signed off on the last chart, "Are they ready to be disposed?"

I gave Tom a sad smile, "Tom, I'll take them out. My shift is almost over and I'd really like to do it." I let my voice catch.

The tall nurse touched my shoulder, "You let them get to you, huh?" He smiled sympathetically, "Sure, doc, go ahead. I won't tell anybody."

I smiled my gratitude as I tried to hide my shaking.

I pushed the cloth-covered gurney outside past the disposal unit, and loaded the furry three in my glidecar. One opened its sideways-slitted eyes a little; it gazed at me and gave me what looked like a small smile. I smiled back then glanced around to make sure I was unseen; I drove off to the gate of the base.

I felt like I was shaking so hard by time I reached the gate that I was sure the guard would notice, but he just waved me by. With the gate behind me, I began to breathe easier. Two miles down the road, I still couldn't believe what I had done.

No one should know; I had altered the charts. No one could possibly know.

As these thoughts sank in, I began to laugh hysterically. However, I sobered up pretty quick when I saw the roadblock ahead of me.

A smiling guard stopped me and checked my ID.

"Dr. Tress Yeddie?"

I smiled, "That's me."

His smile vanished, "I need you to step out of the car, you're wanted for treason."

I tried to look confused, "What do you mean? I've done nothing wrong."

"That's what they all say, ma'am."

My stomach was sick, _who knew?_ I looked around as I got out of the glidecar. I froze halfway out. The Senior Doctor was walking towards me. When he got to the back of the glidecar, he ripped away the cover I had used for the Orthians. I cringed, Dr. Channel snarled, and the guard shot me in the stomach.

Color leeched from my face as I looked down at the hole in my body. I slowly slid down to the ground, my eyes wide with pain.

"You thought you could break them out of my medical bay without me knowing? Pah, you're pathetic. And now you will watch them suffer," Dr. Channel hissed looking at me with his steel-gray eyes in disgust. Then he killed the Orthians the only way we knew how. Saline solution was their only allergy, and it was lethal to them. A small dose would kill them. Slowly.

I blacked out from the pain before he tormented them.

I woke later, patched up and sitting in a chair in front of the planet's Council.

One of the Council members stood, he was wearing a gaudy red and blue robe that contrasted uneasily with his yellow complexion. He addressed me, "Dr. Tress Yeddie, you have been condemned to death for high treason. Do you have anything to say?"

Looking into the Council member's amber eyes, I replied, "The Orthians are sentient beings. They are innocent of the crimes for which they have been blamed." I coughed sending rivers of pain through my body.

I gasped for breath as I continued, "Leave—" I struggled against the blackness that threatened to overtake me as I stood,"—them--" I lurched forward a few steps, trying to keep my balance. I took one more breath, "--alone!" I tried to grab the Council's table before collapsing; I didn't make it.

The last thing I saw was a Council member giving a sniff of distaste. A guard grabbed my arms to drag me back to my chair. He handled me too roughly and blood vessels ruptured. I was bleeding out, and I knew it. Smiling gently at the Council, I sighed my last breath.

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Thanks for taking the time to read this; I greatly appreciate any and all reviews.


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